Reviewed by Susan van der Walt for Readers’ Favorite
Cybersecurity Explorers is a team effort by Fitzroy Gordon and his son Aaron Gordon. In technology class, Alec and Aaron must complete a project on cybernetics. After some brainstorming, they choose to make a dictionary with all the terms related to the topic and an explanation for each one. To help them discover the terminology, they create a scenario of playing a video game online. We follow Alec and Aaron on their quest to understand computer networks, the internet, and cybersecurity. The author team uses simple metaphors like a tree with its trunk and branches to explain the interaction between the network, computers, or gaming systems, and the system's accessories, like printers, external drives, etc.
The functioning of computers, networks, and the internet can be hard to understand. I like how the authors, Fitzroy and Aaron Gordon, manage to explain challenging concepts in easy-to-understand language. Knowing how hackers can steal your data through trojans, viruses, botnets, and various types of malware helps children understand the importance of cybersecurity. They learn that they should avoid using personal details to create strong passwords and never share their login details with anyone. They also discover how hackers can steal data when using an unsecured wifi network. But children should ask their parents to help them with software upgrades and installing anti-virus software. Middle-graders will associate with the characters and the classroom setting in Cybersecurity Explorers and will enjoy the dialogue between Alec and Aaron, the colorful cartoon-like illustrations, and learn new computer terminology through the simple explanations in the book.